Eastchester councilwoman steps down

After 17 years on the Eastchester Town Board, Councilwoman Vicki Ford (R) is calling quits. Ford announced her resignation, effective Dec. 31, at Tuesday's meeting of the board. The longest-serving elected official in Eastchester, Ford was given a standing ovation after reading her resignation letter to a council room packed with well-wishers.

A Minnesota native, Ford attended Sarah Lawrence College and moved to Bronxville shortly after graduation and marriage in the 1960s. As a board member, Ford has worked closely with the Eastchester-Tuckahoe Chamber of Commerce and was a leader in the local Citizens Corps. Recently, she donated two months of salary to the public library.

Her civic involvement outside of her elected duties has included her and her husband Si's involvement with Concordia College and elsewhere.

The board will appoint an interim councilmember to fill out Ford's term, prior to elections next year. Ford was facing re-election for another four-year term in 2011. The Town Board, compromised of four Republicans and Republican Town Supervisor Anthony Colavita, will have the inside track to appoint an interim councilmember who will agree to seek a full term next year. Though council seats are at-large and not districted to represent particular areas of the town, Colavita has previously said he viewed Ford as a Bronxville representative and the supervisor may recommend replacing her with with a Village of Bronxville resident, as opposed to a resident of Tuckahoe or Eastchester proper. This remains speculation at the moment, and of course could be dictated by the candidates who express interest in the seat.

Democrats have said they intend to contest the council seats after not naming candidates last year.

All sides settle Rye Osborn differences

The Osborn, Rye City School District and city have finalized an agreement calling to end a groundbreaking legal battle that was waged for more than a decade.

After a recent Appellate Court decision regarding assessed values and property taxes, a settlement that resolves the remaining issues in the longstanding dispute amongst the three parties was announced this week.

Originally, the matter focused on tax assessments made by the city assessor dating back to 1997. The Osborn sought to continue its charitable exemption, as a nursing facility, from property taxes dating back to its opening in 1908, or to reduce the assessed value of the property. The court in October ruled that the retirement home is fully taxable - due to multimillion dollar renovations that changed the scope of the community- yet entitled to a one-third reduction in the assessed value of its property, for 2002-03, calling for money to be refunded to it by the school district, city and county.

"The Osborn sought relief for our residents and fair treatment for all of the local taxpayers," Jack Miller, chairman of the board of trustees of The Osborn, said in a released statement.

A written settlement, guided by calculations determined by the State Supreme Court, was necessitated by the complex nature of the issue due to changes in tax status and assessments during the time of the litigation and recent court rulings.

"The Board of Education is pleased to have worked out a fair settlement...that finally puts this matter to rest," School Board President Joshua Nathan told the press on Tuesday.

While the court only addressed the disputes from 1997-2003, the parties settled all outstanding issues, including pending lawsuits brought forward by The Osborn, a lavish retirement community, for each year from 2004-10.

Rye City School Board, custodial union announce deal

On Tuesday, the Rye City School Board voted to approve a four-year contract with the district's custodial union, CSEA Local 860.

The deal is retroactive to July 1, 2009 and will expire on June 30, 2013; it includes salary increases averaging 1.5 percent per year. Union employees will also further contribute to their health insurance contributions starting with 12 percent in 2009, 13 percent in 2010, 14 percent in 2011 and 15 percent in 2012.

When taking all factors into consideration - step increases, pension contributions and benefit increases -the average annual cost increase will equate to 2.94 percent for the district.

For more on this story look to the Jan. 7 edition of The Rye Sound Shore Review.

Rye's Bird Homestead & Friends Meeting House to host winter tree walk

For its first program of the new year, the Committee to Save the Bird Homestead will present Learn to Identify Trees in Winter, a guided walk through the Meeting House and Bird Homestead grounds, on Sunday, Jan. 2, at 1:00 p.m. Although the leaves are gone, naturalists can still identify trees by examining their buds and other clues. Alison Beall, curator emeritus of Marshlands Conservancy, will lead the walk. She has spent 35 years in Rye educating students and the general public about the natural world. By popular request, Ms. Beall will repeat this program from last year, when especially frigid temperatures kept some people at home. About 20 hardy participants joined the walk, despite the bitter cold.

Trees were valued and studied by the Bird family. Alice Bird, a talented nature illustrator, produced beautiful color lithographs of 29 trees found in the American landscape for a book entitled Trees of the Countryside by Margaret McKenny (Alfred A. Knopf, 1942). The book jacket recounts that, “Born to a family of scientists, [she] has grown up trained to observe and to appreciate the wonders of nature.”

The review in The New York Times, Sept. 13, 1942 states, “the illustrator, who is also a naturalist, provides twenty-nine full-page, four-color lithographs, showing each tree in its natural setting. …Not only boys and girls but nature lovers of any age will enjoy these charming pictures which give so successfully the feeling of the countryside where each of the trees described is a native.”

This program is free and open to the public. It is among the community activities listed on Rye Recreation’s “Come Out & Play” calendar. Participants may bring winter twigs with buds from their own yards for identification too. They should dress warmly and wear sturdy shoes or boots, and are encouraged to bring binoculars, if they have them. Hot chocolate will be served at the end of the walk. The group will meet at the Meeting House, 624 Milton Road, Rye at 1:00 p.m. For further information, contact Anne Stillman preservehistory@earthlink.net or 914-967-0383.

Ilustrations are courtesy of the Estate of John Erikson.

Rye Town cuts taxes 15%

The Town Council approved its 2011 budget, on Dec. 14, adopting a 15.7 percent tax decrease and $3.5 million in spending. When the tentative budget was first announced back in November it proposed $3.64 million in expenditures.

The town will move forward next year using $705,000 of its fund balance although town officials are confident that it remains a conservative estimate with expectations that the fund balance won't be used that heavily by the end of 2011. The fund balance remains at a 75 percent level. Also, $399,000 will be generated through property taxes with the remaining $2.45 million in revenue coming from non-property tax sources.

On an annual basis a town property owner pays $50-$60 in taxes; with the 2011 decrease residents should be afforded a savings of roughly $15 on their tax bill.

DiNapoli audit bashes Harrison's budgeting practices

An audit conducted by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli was released today, unveiling what DiNapoli called "unrealistic and unbalanced" budgeting practices by the town. This comes one day after the town adopted its 2011 budget upping property taxes 5.4 percent.

"Enacting unrealistic budgets is unacceptable," DiNapoli said, noting that the town incurred $10 million in cumulative operating deficits since 2005. "Taxpayers have enough to worry about. Town officials must do a better job of managing taxpayer dollars."

DiNapoli's report, covering a period from January 2008 to November 2009 showed a depleted general fund and a reliance on one-time revenues to finance recurring expenditures. DiNapoli's report says Harrison officials did not properly forecast revenues in budgets, leaving an annual deficit.

The comptroller recommended processes to improve budgeting practices in town, and Town Comptroller Maureen MacKenzie responded to the audit by outlining Harrison's difficulties in budgeting and an increased focus on "righting the ship." Among the items she noted in a letter to DiNapoli's office were reductions in staff and deferred salary increases to the labor force for 2010. The comptroller did note, though, deferrals cannot be deemed cost savings as the money will have to be paid in the future.

More on this story in next print edition of The Harrison Report.

Harrison budget passes, taxes upped 5.4%

Last night, the Town Board approved their 2011 operating budget after a contentious and polarizing meeting. Property taxes will be upped 5.4 percent next year as the town continues to contend with declining revenues from sources such as mortgage taxes amidst the recession.

Though a large tax increase, the number is Harrison's lowest jump since the recession started. In 2009 taxes were increased 9.5 percent and upped 13 percent for 2010.

Tempers flared about the budget, particularly regarding the police force. More cuts are scheduled, including the DARE program. Police Chief Anthony Marraccini requested several capital items for 2011, but was rejected. The chief, promoted in March, has headed a department whose staff levels have decreased from a high water mark of almost 100 down to 76 last year. In 2011, the department is expected to dip below the 60 officer mark.

Despite the reservations of elected officials, the budget was adopted 4-1 with only Councilman Pat Vetere (D) opposing. The town was required to adopt a budget under state law by the end of Dec. 20, yesterday. The original proposal called for a 6.7 percent tax increase, but officials reduced that number through some of the polarizing cuts.

More on this story in the next print edition of The Harrison Report.

RyeTV streams online

With new features added to RyeTV residents now will be able to fully access prgoraming at the push of a button on the city's website.

There is now a 24/7 streaming of the government channel so you can watch your Rye City Council meetings in their entirety live online. From now on council meetings will also be fully indexed online meaning you can click on an agenda item for the portion of the meeting corresponding with it. The indexes will appear by teh first few hours of the live meeting. Council meetings from the previous two years will be post, according to Nicole Levitsky, access coordinator for RyeTV. For the direct link to this new feature log onto http//ryeny.swagit.com/City_Council/

Select public access shows are also slated to appear on the website including RyeTV News and Heard in Rye lectures etc.

To try out the new features just log onto http://www.ryeny.gov/

Rye City Council votes down Law Dept. findings

A comprehensive analysis of Rye's Legal Department was undertaken earlier this year providing 23 recommendations. The findings were never adopted by the Rye City Council and it seems they never will.

On Wednesday night, Councilman Joe Sack (R), one of the authors of the report, asked the rest of the City Council to generally support the report. He specifically focused on the two central themes outlined: 1) that corporation counsel handle most of the city's litigation and 2) if the city were to hire outside counsel that it not come from the corporation counsel's law firm.

The council unilaterally voted down the motion.

"Those two recommendations aren't in the best interests of our litigation," Mayor Douglas French (R) said.

Sack, along with former Mayor John Carey (D), undertook a review of the Law Department at the request of Mayor French; the findings were first presented in March. The city, in fact, has gone against the report in several instances including not hiring a firm to conduct its attorney search and by hiring the firm its selected Corporation Counsel Kristen Wilson is employed by, Harris Beach PLLC. The report also suggests the city doesn't need a litigation management committee due to confidentiality concerns; however, French says he plans to propose such a committee in January.

Winter re-elected to Eastchester Board of Fire Commissioners

Incumbent Eastchester Fire Commissioner Dennis Winter has secured a second five-year term on the Eastchester Board of Fire Commissioners in tonight's election with around 64 percent of the vote, defeating lifelong Eastchester resident and freelance journalist Bob Fois in the two-man race.

The final vote tally was 433 votes for Winter to 242 votes for Fois, a total of 675 votes cast, down from 812 voters who turned out for the 2009 election, when Board Chair Ray O'Hare won a third term on the board over Bronxville attorney Joe Villanueva.

Winter, a Bronxville resident, received almost half of his support district-wide from Bronxville voters. Before the Bronxville polling place reported, the last location to do so, Winter held a slight 26 vote lead.

Fire Board elections are traditionally plagued by extremely low turnouts, and tonight's contest was no different. According to Eastchester Fire District Secretary Cara Piliero, there are 20,993 registered voters within the district, meaning that tonight's election brought out approximately 3.2 percent of the electorate.

Some, including both competitors in this evening's race, feel that the timing of the election - from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the second Tuesday in December - is a key factor in dampening voter turnout.

Check out the Dec. 17 issue of The Town Report for more in-depth coverage of the Eastchester Fire District election!

Gorman will run for re-election in Tuckahoe

Tuckahoe Trustee Clare Gorman (D) informed The Town Report yesterday that she will seek her party's nomination to run again for the Tuckahoe Village Board in the upcoming March election.

"We've made so many strides with the environmental issues and other issues, and I want to just continue with some of the work I've been doing," she said.

In a conversation on Dec. 2, Gorman said that she had not yet made up her mind about running for another term. In yesterday's interview, she indicated that her decision to run for re-election was made this past week.

Gorman said she enjoys working with the other board members, including Tuckahoe Deputy Mayor Steven Ecklond (R). "Steve's hardworking, and I totally appreciate that about him," she said. "I think we all make a good team up there."

Ecklond, who has traditionally worked well with the Democrats on Tuckahoe's board, announced earlier this month that he will seek the mayor's seat in Tuckahoe next year. Sitting Mayor John Fitzpatrick (D) had previously announced that he will not be seeking a third term at that post.

Asked her thoughts about Ecklond's mayoral run, Gorman seemed to endorse the deputy mayor for the seat. "I can't think of anyone else who's more experienced and capable that Steve right now," she said.

Derrico sworn in as VOM's first female justice

Surrounded by family and friends, Christie Derrico was sworn in today as the first female justice in the Village of Mamaroneck by former New York State Supreme Court Judge John Perone.

Derrico resigned yesterday from her position as village attorney so that she can join Justice Dan Gallagher in the busy Village Justice Court.

The Village Board of Trustees is currently looking to appoint a temporary village attorney until a permanent replacement can be made at the Dec. 20 village reorganization meeting.

Rye City Councilwoman presses, and presses, for zero

Rye City Councilwoman Suzanna Keith (R), sitting in on her first budget process as an elected official, continues to push the city to adopt a 0% tax rate increase prior to adopting its 2011 budget come Wednesday.

Keith, seemingly at odds with the majority of the Rye City Council, remains steadfast in her effort to get the tax rate down from the most recent proposal of 0.97% as of last week. City Manager Scott Pickup first presented his budget proposal back on Nov. 8 which included a 2.16% tax rate hike. The councilwoman pushed for budgeting an additional $100,000 in mortgage tax recordings, asking the Rye Golf Club to contribute $30,000 to the city's general fund and doing away with a proposal to give $44,000 in bonuses to the Administrative Pay Group (APG), which is not a union and didn't receive raises this year.

For morale purposes city officials as well as council members felt it wasn't smart to deny that pay group again. The consensus was to leave the golf club as is since they already contribute significantly to the city, are paying off the castle bond and did not receive any subsidies from the city since being set up as an enterprise fund many moons ago. Lastly, although enticing to some, the council at the urging of city staff decided against budgeting an increase in mortgage tax sensing it was too risky due to the economy.

To get the tax rate down to zero the city would need to generate roughly $190,000 in savings or additional revenue.

Wreaths Across America to stop in Rye City

For the third time in the last four years the city will be hosting the Wreaths Across America convoy as it stops in front of Rye City Hall this Thursday, Dec. 9 at 9:45 a.m.

The convoy annually makes its way from Maine to Arlington, Va. For the past 18 years, the Worcester Wreath Comapny of Harrington, Maine has donated handmade Maine balsam wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery. Last year over 100,000 wreaths were donated.

Tractor-trailers full of wreaths are accompanied by a cavalcade of motorcycles and other vehicles manned by the Patriot Guard Riders as the convoy travels along Boston Post Road. The convoy will then head south stopping in Mamaroneck's Kemper Memorial Park - the only two locations in New York - before heading south and arriving in Arlington on the morning of Dec. 11.

Ecklond to run for mayor of Tuckahoe

Tuckahoe Deputy Mayor Steve Ecklond (R) informed The Town Report yesterday that he is officially running for mayor in this March's village election.

"I do intend on running for mayor in March," said Ecklond. "I think it's time for me to step up and actively run for this position, and hopefully I'll be successful in March."

Ecklond's announcement came one day after current Tuckahoe Mayor John Fitzpatrick (D) announced he would not be running for a third term, vacating the mayor's seat to pursue some higher office in November.

Prior to yesterday's interview, Ecklond said he was unaware that Fitzpatrick had made his decision official. He said that his own decision to run had come about within the past month. He also said, though, that he had long "had a sense" that Fitzpatrick would not be seeking re-election.

Party caucuses for the village's March elections will take place in January. Ecklond said that he does not anticipate opposition from within his own party.

Check out the Dec. 10 edition of The Town Report for more on this story.

Fitzpatrick not running for third term as mayor

At a fund-raising event earlier this evening at The Quarry on Main Street in Tuckahoe, Tuckahoe Mayor John Fitzpatrick (D) announced that he will not seek a third term as the village's mayor, confirming months of speculation that he would step down next year.

"In March, it's time to hand over the mayorship to somebody new in Tuckahoe," said Fitzpatrick to a room full of supporters.

However, Fitzpatrick confirmed other speculations that he will not be leaving politics. "We are going to run for another seat this November and represent the people of [this community] in the same way."

This past summer, Fitzpatrick sought the Democratic nomination to serve in the Westchester County Board of Legislators, being overlooked by a majority of party leaders in the 10th District in favor of New Rochelle attorney, Greg Varian, who lost a special election to then-Eastchester Councilwoman Sheila Marcotte (R).

Upon failing to win his party's nomination for county legislator, Fitzpatrick implied that he would return to run again in the event of a Democratic loss in that race.

However, others have speculated that he might take on Eastchester Town Supervisor Anthony Colavita (R), who has not faced a serious challenge since being elected to that post.

Fitzpatrick declined tonight to specify which office he plans to run for, stating only that he will make an announcement in June, around the time that petitions will start circulating for the November race.